County closer to starting hurricane-related drainage projects

MELECIO FRANCO

Published 10:15 am, Saturday, November 17, 2012

Liberty County officials are closer to starting construction on several drainage projects that qualify for state funding. The projects have been identified by county commissioners as areas that failed to function properly or were damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Commissioners met on Nov. 13 with officials from the Texas Land Office and HNTB, an engineering firm that is the grant administrator for the state, to discuss the four projects.

They include replacing a bridge and improving the drainage in local bayous and creeks.

According to documentation provided to the commissioners from state officials, the county “sustained flooding that resulted in drainage infrastructure failure. The existing storm sewer/drainage system infrastructure failed to function because the current system was unable to convey the volume of water generated during Hurricane Ike.”

The proposed four projects seek to address the drainage issues to improve water flow to prevent future flooding from a water event.

The projects include drainage work in Pct. 1, Long Island Creek drainage projects in Pct. 2, a Batiste Creek drainage project in Pct. 2, a Reece Bayou drainage project in Pct. 3 and the replacement of a bridge in Winter Valley in Pct. 4.

The projects are funded by a $4.4 million community development block grant and if kept under budget, will not cost the residents of Liberty County. The projects are budgeted to cost approximately $2.2 million.

Following the workshop, the TLO representatives will have the project performance statements reviewed and finalized into contracts that will name specifically all of the work involved in each project. The contract review is expected to take approximately 30 days before it is returned to the county commissioners for review and approval. Once approved in commissioners court, the projects can begin.